22-year-old booked into jail for murder of Deputy Heath Gumm

Although Adams County sheriff's officials initially refused to identify a suspect they took into custody Wednesday evening, jail records showed that Dreion Martise Dearing was booked into the county jail at 10:23 a.m.

Author:
Kevin Vaughan

Published:
4:29 PM MST January 26, 2018

A 22-year-old man was being held Thursday on multiple counts of murder of a police officer and other charges a day after a deputy was gunned down, 9Wants to Know has learned.

Although Adams County sheriff’s officials initially refused to identify a suspect they took into custody Wednesday evening, jail records showed that Dreion Martise Dearing was booked into the county jail at 10:23 a.m. Thursday and was being held on two counts of first-degree murder of a peace officer, one count of first-degree murder after deliberation and second-degree burglary.

Friday afternoon the sheriff's department confirmed Dearing is suspected of the murder of Gumm.

With the progression of this case we are now able to confirm the shooters name and date of birth. Dreion Martise Dearing DOB 10/31/95. We are still not releasing a photo.

Once at the scene, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, deputies found that a suspect had fled and began a search of the area.

They ultimately located a man that “matched one of the suspect descriptions,” the department said in a press release.

“The suspect ran from deputies, leading them behind a house in that area,” senior deputy Amanda Overton said at a press conference late Wednesday night. “When deputies caught up to the male, the male pulled out a handgun and started to shoot at our deputies.”

Gumm was hit in the chest, and although he was rushed to Denver Health Medical Center, he died a short time later.

In the meantime, the suspect fled before being located in the area and being arrested.

According to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records, Dearing has been arrested at least four times since 2013 on charges ranging from robbery, assault, and failure to appear.

Court documents obtained by 9Wants to Know showed that Dearing was arrested twice in a seven-day span in 2013 – first on a robber charge after he was accused of stealing an iPad from a woman and then on an assault charge after he allegedly attacked a man and knocking him unconscious.

Dearing was 17 at the time of the arrests.

He ultimately was convicted of robbery – the assault case was dismissed – and a Denver judge sentenced him to two years in the state’s Youthful Offender System. He completed that sentence on Aug. 21, 2016 and was released.

Thursday afternoon – hours after 9NEWS first reported the suspect’s identity – the Adams County Sheriff’s Office posted the following message on twitter:

9NEWS has not released the mug shot of any suspect in relation to this case at this time.

However, under state law, law enforcement agencies are required to make public all arrests and identify people being held in their jails. 9NEWS will report names of individuals who have been arrested – especially in such a serious case, said News Director Christy Moreno.

Dearing, who was being held without bail, is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Friday.